1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus, and more particularly, to a lighting apparatus which has a drain structure of guiding water introduced through an assembly clearance to discharge the water to the outside and improves waterproof performance.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, as light sources used in lighting, an incandescent lamp, a discharge lamp, a fluorescent lamp, etc. are mainly used for various purposes, such as for home, sightseeing and industrial use.
From among the above light sources, a resistive light source, such as an incandescent lamp, has low efficiency and generates a large amount of heat, a discharge lamp causes high costs and consumes high voltage, and a fluorescent lamp causes environmental problems due to use of mercury.
In order to solve the above drawbacks of the light sources, concern about a lighting apparatus using light emitting diodes (LEDs) having many advantages, such as high efficiency, diversity in color and autonomy in design, has increased.
An LED is a semiconductor device which emits light when voltage in the forward direction is applied to the device, and has a long lifespan, low power consumption and electrical, optical and physical characteristics suited to mass production, thus rapidly substituting for incandescent and fluorescent lamps. Further, the LED is rapidly applied to a lamp apparatus, such as a streetlamp, a guard lamp, a park lamp or a crime prevention lamp.
Such a lamp apparatus is installed outdoors under the condition that the lamp apparatus is hung on a column member, and needs to assure high durability and stable operability with respect to external environments, such as rain or snow.
Particularly, if it rains, when various electronic parts are not operated due to water introduced into the lamp apparatus through an assembly clearance, and if the introduced water is not discharged to the outside, the inside of the lamp apparatus is filled with water. Therefore, the lamp apparatus installed outdoors requires a drain structure and a waterproof structure in order to increase product reliability.